Trails

To walk through Hawaiian history, head to Pu‘uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park, located on the west coast of the Big Island of Hawai‘i, south of Kona. A convenient hiking trail weaves through the park's Royal Grounds and the Pu‘uhonua (place of refuge). This half-mile long loop passes sixteen numbered markers that correspond with entries in a park brochure to put an educational spin to the scenic surroundings. ...Read more.

The Big Island of Hawai‘i is a dynamic land, where you can find a lava tube on the edge of the island's main city. An 1881 lava flow from Mauna Loa stopped just short of Hilo. Venture up and down a lava tube created by that flow. Enter through a collapsed skylight at Kaumana Caves Park and start exploring. While the entire tube may measure over twenty miles long, visitors can expect to see somewhere under two miles from the Kaumana Caves entrance. ...Read more.

A mile and a half from downtown Hilo, the biggest city on the Big Island of Hawaii, Rainbow Falls pours over a basalt ledge in Hawaii's longest river. The 80-foot tall waterfall takes a broad single-drop plunge. Visitors can see Rainbow Falls (and hopefully a morning rainbow) from Rainbow Falls Lookout in Wailuku River State Park, where 0.2 miles of lets-be-generous-and-call-it-hiking leads to one viewpoint facing the waterfall and another perch alongside the top of Rainbow Falls. ...Read more.

‘Akaka Falls is stunner – considered one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Hawaii – with a 442-foot single-drop into a tropical valley. This great waterfall is paired with a great viewpoint. A paved 0.55-mile long loop trail leads to a lookout in front of ‘Akaka Falls, while also providing a glimpse of 300-foot tall Kahuna Falls and several small cascades. ...Read more.

Waipi‘o Valley is known as the Valley of Kings for its regal chapter in Hawaiian history. You're bound to feel high and mighty while looking across this remote valley and its pristine beach from a panoramic perch on Muliwai Trail. Waipi‘o Valley has steep, thousand foot-tall cliffs, so entering the valley is no simple stroll. Cross Waipi‘o Beach and visit Muliwai Trail Overlook on a 4. ...Read more.

While much of Hawai‘i's coastline is understandably built up with vacation destination resorts, some areas have a wilder feel, like Kīholo Bay. Driftwood decorates the rugged coastline, just 25 miles north of Kona, and green sea turtles ease through the bay's cyan-colored shallows. The Hawaii State Parks website describes Kīholo State Park Reserve as: A stark, lava-covered coastal park with small bays, sparsely vegetated coastline, historic lava flows, and wide open spaces. ...Read more.

A list of things for hikers to do on the Big Island of Hawai‘i includes: walking across a lava field, exploring a cave, looking for petroglyphs, seeing fishponds created by early Hawaiians, and taking a time-out by tide pools in a beautiful bay. Check off everything on that list with one visit to Kalahuipua‘a Historic Park and Fishpond Preserve. ...Read more.

On the Big Island of Hawai‘i, Puakō Petroglyph Archeological District is one of the best places to see rock carvings created by early Hawaiians. Malama Trail offers two hiking itineraries: Keep things easy with a 0.2-mile round trip hike on a paved wheelchair-friendly path to an enjoyable collection of reproductions that match the area's authentic petroglyphs A rougher trail continues to the Puakō Petroglyph Field, where a thousand rock carvings can be observed, capping off a 1. ...Read more.

What will you find under the canopy of Forest Park? Dirt single tracks weave through verdant woodlands, passing Douglas firs and bigleaf maples bedecked with licorice ferns. Explore some of Forest Park's charmingly ridges and ravines on this 3.5-mile loop with 510 feet of elevation change. Although Wild Cherry Trail and Alder Trail are the most notable members of this hike, this circuit actually comes together with the use of a few other trail: Leif Erikson Trail, Wildwood Trail, Keil Trail, and a sliver of Dogwood Trail. ...Read more.

Looking for a Forest Park hike that can be completed in about an hour? Delve into the woods on this 2.5-mile loop that explores a soothing swath of Forest Park. The loop has 515 feet of elevation change, traveling downhill from Northwest 53rd Drive on Wild Cherry Trail before rising back up Dogwood Trail. Wild Cherry Trail – Dogwood Trail Loop starts from one of the roadside parking area along NW 53rd Drive, 0. ...Read more.